SS-26-012.pdf

12 NOVEMBER 2025

THIS IS THE MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND NORFOLK, STRATEGIC SEALIFT

PROGRAM SUPPORT OFFICE, N103A

SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE NO.: N32205-SS-PM4-26-012

SUBJECT: DRY CARGO TUGCON; OPEN-OCEAN TOW MISSION

1. THIS IS MARKET RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE PM4 PROGRAM OFFICE OF

MSC. IT IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY, AND YOUR RESPONSE WILL

NOT BE CONSIDERED AN OFFER. THIS REQUEST FOR INFORMATION DOES NOT

COMMIT THE GOVERNMENT TO PAY ANY COSTS INCURRED IN THE

PREPARATION OR SUBMISSION TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE OR TO

CONTRACT FOR SERVICES.

2. MSC REQUESTS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PRICE AND AVAILABILITY OF A

U.S. FLAG, OCEAN-GOING CERTIFIED TUG CAPABLE OF TOWING BERTHING

BARGE YRBM-32 “IAW THE U.S. NAVY TOW MANUAL (SL740-AA-MAN-010)”

FROM JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM TO PUGET SOUND NAVAL

SHIPYARD, BREMERTON, WA DURING THE PERIOD OF 05 JANUARY - 23

JANUARY 2026. THE REQUIREMENT IS FOR ONE VOYAGE.

3. DESCRIPTION OF THE TOW:

• ONE YRBM-32 BERTHING BARGE

• DISPLACEMENT – 688 MT

• LENGTH – 146’ 9 5/8”

• BEAM – 46’ 9 3/8”

• MAX DRAFT – 7’ 3”

4. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DEPARTURE: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM (USA),

PIER LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED.

5. LAYTIME: FOUR (4) DAYS FOR THE ENTIRE MISSION

6. PORT(S)/PLACE(S) OF DESTINATION: PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD,

BREMERTON, WA, PIER LOCATION TO BE DETERMINED.

7. LAYDAYS: COMMENCING: 29 DECEMBER 2025

CANCELLING: 05 JANUARY 2026

8. TUG REQUIREMENTS:

• VESSEL/TUG SHALL BE BUILT IN 1970 OR LATER

• BOLLARD PULL: SUFFICIENT TO TOW YRBM-32 BARGE AT A MINIMUM TOW

SPEED OF SIX (6) KNOTS FOR FIVE (5) KNOT SOA IN BEAUFORT 5

CONDITIONS. MAXIMUM TOW SPEED TO BE CALCULATED IAW THE U.S.

NAVY TOW MANUAL.

• INTERNET AND SATELLITE PHONE CAPABILITY.

• OWNERS MUST PROVIDE TOW BRIDLE AND HARDWARE, EMERGENCY TOW

LINES, FLOODING ALARMS, NAVIGATION LIGHTS AND DAY SHAPES IAW

THE COLREGS RULES OF THE ROAD AND PERFORM NONDESTRUCTIVE

TESTING OF TOW VESSEL DECK FITTINGS FOR SUBMISSION IN A

COMPREHENSIVE TOW PACKAGE. NAVIGATION LIGHTS AND A PERMANENT

FIXTURE WITH DAY SHAPE (BLACK DIAMOND) ARE ALREADY INSTALLED

ON THE BERTHING BARGE.

• OWNERS MUST PREPARE AND SUBMIT A COMPREHENSIVE TOWING

PACKAGE FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF

TOW. THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO:

o A COMPLETED APPENDIX H FROM THE US NAVY TOWING MANUAL

WITH ASSOCIATED DETAIL

o STEADY STATE TOW LINE TENSION CALCULATIONS OVER THE

SPECTRUM OF ANTICIPATED WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG THE

TOW ROUTE

o SPEEDS OF ADVANCE (SOA) o WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LIMITS o A SKETCH OF THE TOW CONFIGURATION WHICH IDENTIFIES ALL

COMPONENTS IN THE TOW RIG FROM THE TOW MACHINE ON THE

TUG TO THE PAD EYES ON TOW (THIS INCLUDES TOW WIRE,

CONNECTING SHACKLES, CHAIN INSPECTIONS, AND PAD EYE NDT

(NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING) INSPECTION PAPERWORK.

o DOCUMENTATION OF PEDIGREE, TESTING, OR STAMPING FOR THE

INDIVIDUAL JEWELRY COMPONENTS TO ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING

THE WEAKEST LINK AND TO FACILITATE FORENSIC ANALYSIS IN

THE EVENT OF A FAILURE, AND TRACKING OF FAILURE TRENDS.

o TUG SPECIFICATIONS TO INCLUDE HULL AND TOW MACHINERY

CERTIFICATIONS, BOLLARD PULL, TOW WIRE CERTIFICATIONS, AND

THE MASTER’S TOWING ENDORSEMENT.

o ROUTE PLANNING AND IDENTIFICATION OF PORTS OF REFUGE

INCLUDING ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY AS STATED BY

THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT.

o THE COMPLETED TOW PACKAGE MUST BE SENT TO NAVSEA AND

MSC REPRESENTATIVES FOR APPROVAL PRIOR TO TOW.

• U.S. NAVY TOWING MANUAL (SL740-AA-MAN-10) WILL BE USED AND

COMPLIED WITH FOR THIS REQUIREMENT. THE LINK FOR DOWNLOAD IS:

HTTP://WWW.NAVSEA.NAVY.MIL/HOME/SUPSALV/00C2-SALVAGE-

PUBLICATIONS/.

• THERE WILL BE A PRE-TOW CONFERENCE AT JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-

HICKAM, HI, PRIOR TO TOWING THE BARGE. THE TIME OF THIS MEETING

WILL BE MUTUALLY AGREED UPON BY MSC, SPONSOR, AND CONTRACTOR,

BUT SHOULD OCCUR NOT LATER THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE TOW. REQUIRED

ATTENDEES INCLUDE TUG CAPTAIN/CONTRACTOR REPRESENTATIVE(S),

MSC REPRESENTATIVE(S), SPONSOR REPRESENTATIVE(S) AND THE

INDEPENDENT MARINE SURVEYOR (IMS).

• POSITION REPORTS SHALL BE ISSUED BY ELECTRONIC MAIL: TUG SHALL

PROVIDE POSITION/STATUS REPORT IN PORT TWICE DAILY AT 0000Z AND

1200Z AND AT-SEA FOUR (4) TIMES DAILY AT 0000Z, 0600Z, 1200Z, AND 1800Z.

ADDITIONALLY, POSITION/STATUS REPORTS SHALL ALSO BE SENT UPON

http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/SUPSALV/00C2-Salvage-Publications/ http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/SUPSALV/00C2-Salvage-Publications/

PORT ARRIVAL, PORT DEPARTURE, AND AT OTHER TIMES REQUESTED BY

THE APPLICABLE MSC AREA COMMAND FOR FORCE PROTECTION REASONS.

REPORTS SHALL BE SENT TO THE EMAIL ADDRESSES THAT WILL BE

PROVIDED AFTER CONTRACT AWARD.

• CONTRACTOR SHALL OBTAIN THE SERVICES OF AN INDEPENDENT MARINE

SURVEYOR (IMS). THIS SERVICE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE OFFER’S

LUMP-SUM PRICE. THE IMS IS AN INDEPENDENT THIRD PARTY TO ACT AS A

MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE NAVY AND THE CONTRACTOR TO PROVIDE

INDEPENDENT ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONS AND TO ASSIST IN SETTLING

DISAGREEMENTS. THE IMS SELECTED SHOULD BE PROPOSED BY THE

TOWING CONTRACTOR AND AGREED TO BY THE MSC TECHNICAL

REPRESENTATIVE. IMS DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

O PERFORM DETAILED TECHNICAL EVALUATION AND OVERSIGHT AS

NECESSARY, TO ENSURE THE TUG AND YRBM-32 BARGE ARE

PREPARED AND RIGGED FOR TOW IAW THE U.S. NAVY TOWING

MANUAL, AS APPLICABLE.

TECHNICAL EVALUATIONS SHALL INCLUDE A REVIEW OF THE

FOLLOWING:

• CONTRACTOR PREPARED TOW PACKAGE.

• PRE-TOW CHECKLIST TO INCLUDE ITEMS SUCH AS

VERIFYING THE CONDITION OF THE YRBM-32 BARGE AS

BEING SEAWORTHY OF THE TOW.

• MATERIAL CONDITION OF THE TUG AND BARGE.

• PREPARATIONS OF THE TUG AND BARGE.

• INSPECTION OF ALL MATERIAL, EQUIPMENT,

HARDWARE, LINES, AND REQUIRED CERTIFICATES.

• COMPLETED U.S. NAVY TOWING MANUAL APPENDIX H.

• ISSUE A TOWING CERTIFICATE WHEN THE TUG AND

BARGE ARE SAFELY RIGGED FOR TOW.

• THE BERTHING BARGE SHALL BE PICKED UP AT ITS PIER LOCATION AT

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HI AND DELIVERED TO THE

CARGO’S DESIGNATED PIER LOCATION AT PUGET SOUND NAVAL

SHIPYARD, BREMERTON, WA. CONTRACTOR SHALL COORDINATE ALL

ARRANGEMENTS FOR ARRIVING AND DEPARTING PORTS WITH THE

APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES. ASSIST TUGS, IF REQUIRED, ARE THE

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CONTRACTOR. CONTRACTOR IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR LINE HANDLERS ON TUG AND CARGO AS REQUIRED.

• TUG SHALL BE FULLY BUNKERED FOR THE VOYAGE. STOPS FOR FUEL OR

SUPPLIES ARE AUTHORIZED.

• TOWING AND MOORING CALCULATION, TOWING AND MOORING

ARRANGEMENT, AND GENERAL ARRANGEMENT FOR THE BARGE WILL BE

AVAILABLE.

• OWNER/OFFEROR WARRANTS ITS UNDERSTANDING THAT VESSEL CREW

AND OTHER EMBARKED PERSONNEL MAY BE ORDERED BY THE

CHARTERER TO STAY ABOARD THE VESSEL DURING PORT VISITS UNDER

THIS CHARTER AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY THE CHARTERER OR LOCAL

GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES. FURTHER, THE OWNER/OFFEROR AGREES

THAT THE CHARTERER MAY LIMIT ACCESS TO THE VESSEL BY ANY

SHORE-SIDE PERSONNEL UPON THE VESSEL’S PORT CALLS DURING THIS

CHARTER.

• CONTRACTOR SHALL INCLUDE A TRANSIT PLAN IN THE OFFER THAT WILL

DETAIL THE TRANSIT FROM PEARL HARBOR, HI TO PUGET SOUND NAVAL

SHIPYARD, BREMERTON, WA. DETAILS SHALL INCLUDE ROUTE PLANNING

AND IDENTIFICATION OF PORTS OF REFUGE INCLUDING ASSOCIATED

RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY AS STATED BY THE CAPTAIN OF THE PORT.

9. INTERESTED PARTIES ARE REQUESTED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING

INFORMATION:

A. NAME AND COMPLETE DESCRIPTION/CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TOW

VESSEL INCLUDING COI, PHOTOS, VESSEL SPECIFICATION SHEET,

INMARSAT NUMBER, CALL SIGN, IMO NUMBER, YEAR OF TUG, AND FLAG

OF TUG.

B. OWNERS WARRANT THE TUG OFFERED IS OCEAN-CERTIFIED.

C. LUMP-SUM (INCLUDE UP TO 4 DAYS AT DESTINATION SITE FOR

CUSTOMS/DELIVERY) AND DEMURRAGE RATE.

D. TRANSIT PLAN THAT WILL DETAIL THE TRANSIT FROM PEARL HARBOR, HI

TO PUGET SOUND NAVAL SHIPYARD, BREMERTON, WA. DETAILS SHALL

INCLUDE ROUTE PLANNING, NUMBER OF DAYS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE

THE TOW MISSION, AND IDENTIFICATION OF PORTS OF REFUGE

INCLUDING ASSOCIATED RESTRICTIONS FOR ENTRY AS STATED BY THE

CAPTAIN OF THE PORT.

E. COMPANY’S NAME, UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER, AND BUSINESS SIZE. IF

OTHER THAN SMALL BUSINESS, PROVIDE NARRATIVE OF SUB-

CONTRACTING POSSIBILITIES ENVISIONED, IF ANY. IF NONE, PROVIDE

EXPLANATION.

F. ANY OTHER PERTINENT QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS INCLUDING 46 CFR,

CHAPTER 1, SUBCHAPTER M - TOWING VESSELS.

10. THE FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION 19.102 ESTABLISHES THE SMALL

BUSINESS SIZE STANDARD FOR THIS TYPE OF WATER TRANSPORTATION

SERVICE AS NAICS “483111” WITH A SMALL BUSINESS SIZE LIMITATION OF 1,050

EMPLOYEES. PLEASE INDICATE IF BUSINESS IS A SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN.

11. RESPONSES ARE REQUESTED VIA EMAIL, PRIOR TO 1100 HOURS, EASTERN

TIME, TUESDAY, 18 NOVEMBER 2025. THE POINT OF CONTACT IS DAVID C.

ANAYA, EMAIL DAVID.C.ANAYA.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL, OR TEL 564-226-8419.

SIGNED: CHRISTOPHER TOMLIN, CONTRACTING OFFICER, MSC, N103A

mailto:DAVID.C.ANAYA.CIV@US.NAVY.MIL